Protecting the Philippines’ food security means protecting the marine ecosystems that sustain its fisheries and coastal communities, the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) said on World Food Day and days ahead of the 17th UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17).

The upcoming biodiversity conference in Armenia is a critical midway point to the global goal to conserve at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030 (30×30). Highly biodiverse Philippines is party to the convention, with protecting the Verde Island Passage (VIP)–the world’s ‘center of the center’ of marine shorefish species–as its primary commitment in contributing to the global target. Yet three years after a devastating oil spill off the coasts of Mindoro, concerns continue to be raised about the condition of the VIP, CEED said.

A newly published assessment by the think-tank, based on publicly reported rehabilitation efforts and independent monitoring, found that all six marine protected areas sampled in 2026 in the coastal towns and oil spill ground zero Pola and Pinamalayan exceeded the oil-and-grease threshold for the quality of water in protected marine and coastal areas. Seagrass cover also declined at three of four monitored sites compared with previous recovery peaks, with Puting Cacao recording a 99% decline. While the detected oil and grease cannot be conclusively attributed to the 2023 spill, the findings highlight continuing vulnerabilities and shortfalls in long-term environmental monitoring.

“Food security begins with healthy ecosystems. When our seas are threatened by pollution and industrial activity, the consequences extend beyond marine life to the fisherfolk, families, and communities who depend on them for food and income. Protecting the Verde Island Passage means protecting the natural foundations of our food systems,” said Gerry Arances, Executive Director of CEED.

The oil spill caused an estimated ₱40.1 billion in environmental damage and ₱1.1 billion in socioeconomic losses, while a fishing ban affected at least 24,698 fisherfolk; today, gaps in rehabilitation, pollution monitoring, and reparation remain concerns. The report warned that inadequate environmental recovery threatens the resilience of coastal communities and the ecosystems on which fisheries depend–especially in the face of an El Niño that threatens to be the strongest to ever be recorded.

“On World Food Day, we must recognize that protecting food is not just about making it available in markets. It is also about safeguarding the seas, ecosystems, and communities that feed us, and whose vulnerabilities worsen with the convergence of climate, economic, and ecological pressures. The Philippines cannot reliably champion biodiversity while leaving marine environments exposed to preventable risks–especially from fossil fuels, which are clearly incompatible to sensitive waters,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Lead Convenor of the advocacy group Protect Verde Island Passage (Protect VIP).As the Philippines prepares to take part in CBD COP17, CEED urged the government to translate the 30×30 goal into effective protection backed by enforcement, resource mobilization, and stringent accountability.

“For the VIP, this means advancing legal protection, including designation under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act, establishing a coordinated, corridor-wide environmental monitoring and rehabilitation program, and ensuring fair compensation for communities and meaningful participation in decisions affecting their livelihoods. This also calls for transparent monitoring and safeguarding against pollutants, especially toxic substances such as fossil fuels. The VIP proves that marine conservation, food security, and a rapid, equitable transition away from fossil fuels must advance together–in the Philippines and across the globe,” Arances said.